34. Godling

This game was much closer than Y/N had expected. Rin was surprisingly bad, for all his talk. Or maybe Isagi's team was just too good? In any case, this game shouldn't have become so close.

Did he need to intervene? Probably not. So he still just held his position, not doing much as he observed the field.

They'd changed their position. As soon as Rin kicked off, Chigiri began to pressure them, chasing after whoever had the ball. Under Chigiri's attack, Rin had to pass off, and who was free?

Y/N was marked by Barou and Isagi. Aryu had Nagi near him. So Bachira was free. Rin sent the ball across, and nearly in the same moment, Isagi broke away from Y/N to defend it. He read it?

At the same time, Chigiri was yet against sprinting across the field, pressing Bachira with Isagi and making it a two on one. Rin pushed down the centre of the field, and Y/N just hung around in his own half, keeping Barou with him.

"Can you do something?!" Barou muttered. "I'm not your babysitter."

"Sit?" Y/N nodded cheekily. "Good idea." He nonchalantly sat down on the grass. Barou couldn't leave him unmarked, or else he could get into a perfect position with no challenge. So Barou had to hover near him, keeping an eye on the action all the way at the other end of the pitch.

"Tch." Isagi and Chigiri pressed Bachira more and more. Barou's eyes kept flickering between them and Y/N, who was rocking side to side humming under his breath.

Eventually, he ran away, back to his own half to help his team. Y/N paused, mouth opening slightly in shock at what was going on.

Bachira had just managed to sneak the ball through Isagi and Chigiri to Rin. They'd left a gap, and Bachira had taken the opportunity.

Barou got there just in time to intercept the ball, flying with full momentum into the pass course to steal it away. He began working back up the field, and everyone immediately began yelling.

"If you get past Y/N, you can score!"

"It's just one guy!"

"Go, Barou!"

Y/N noticed Barou sprinting at him, the ball in possession. He rolled his eyes, slowly standing up. "Remember the last time you tried?"

Barou's eyes narrowed, but other than that, he didn't react to Y/N's taunt. He kept forging upfield, his team backing him up and Y/N's team trying to get back. Y/N just stood there, ready to intercept him.

Barou moved one foot slightly to the right. That was all Y/N needed as he accelerated forwards. Even as Barou switched the ball to his other foot, attempting to feint a chop to his right, Y/N didn't care at all.

Faster than anyone would've thought possible, he was past Barou, the ball easily in his possession. "There, Rin!" He hit a perfect pass down the field, towards Rin who had been trying to get back to defend. "Get your goal. Or are you too weak?"

Rin sighed, receiving it. Team White were pretty much already on them, Chigiri miles ahead of everyone else. "Carry it forwards, then."

He passed back to Y/N, who was duly surprised. He began moving forwards, dodging around Chigiri with a simple flick before passing back again. "No, you go score."

"I said, carry it forwards!" Rin literally sidestepped a charge from Barou, yelling at Y/N as he fired off a pass.

Y/N had been trying to get away from Rin to force him to score, but the pass was amazing. It curved around Chigiri, and Y/N took it down with his chest, running forwards a few steps.

After he'd gone a short distance, he assumed it was enough. "I have! Now, go score!" Y/N passed it around Isagi and Nagi to Rin, ignoring the shocked look on their faces.

He tried to get a better position to watch Rin's goal, moving out of the crush of people, but yet again had to receive the ball. "Am I speaking Korean? Carry it forwards!" Rin shouted across the field.

"No, because I know Korean!" Y/N shot back. This time, he ran a good ten metres, spinning around Isagi and nudging the ball right between his legs. "And how much do I need to carry it? I'm practically scoring for you!"

He passed it right back to Rin, who passed it right back to him, and he passed it right back to Rin. Both of them were yelling profanities across the field at each other as they completely destroyed Team White's defence.

It wasn't difficult, if Y/N was honest. Everyone on the field had slowed down after so many minutes of full out action. In these small games, there was no time to rest, and no time to recover. He was the only one that wasn't bothered at all with the work - probably because he hadn't done any.

They were only a few metres from the goal when Rin finally took the shot. Isagi and Chigiri both attempted to block the shot off, but it went right over Isagi's head.

It hit the back of the goal, but both Rin and Y/N didn't notice. They moved closer to each other, arguing furiously as Rin poked a finger into Y/N's chest. "I told you to carry it forwards!"

"And I told you to score!" Y/N protested. "I practically did everything for you!"

"It's called using teammates, idiot!"

"That's called being lazy, dumbass!"

"Unlike you, I actually know how to control and use my team to help me score!" Rin shouted.

"I don't like being controlled, nor used!" Y/N yelled right back, though he was grinning widely. He hesitated, placing a finger on his bottom lip. "Well... in some cases..."

"Okay..." Bachira dove in between them, pushing them both to either side. "We stop there! Though I do want to hear more, Y/N, we haven't won yet!" He winked.

🥕🥕🥕

Last play. Y/N thought to himself. He was positioned differently this time, marking Nagi on the left side of the field. Aryu was marking Barou on the right, and Rin and Bachira faced off against Nagi and Isagi in the middle.

They began much differently this time, with Isagi immediately carrying the ball to Barou's side of the field. Barou began pushing up, dragging Aryu along with him as the tall boy attempted to block a pass.

Barou moved past Aryu further into the pitch. For a moment before he caught up, he was free, but Isagi didn't pass it. Instead, he used Barou as bait, running straight past both of them down the side of the field.

Bachira and Rin both moved to block him off, Bachira pressing close while Rin hung back to defend more areas at the same time. Nagi was yelling for the ball, but Isagi completely ignored him. Y/N had followed Nagi, causing all four Team Red players to be bunched up on one half of the field.

Of course, Y/N knew what was going on, but he'd decided to just play along. Let Isagi have his moment of glory. To his surprise, Rin hadn't noticed it. Maybe Isagi's eyes were better than Rin's...?

"Go, Chigiri!" Isagi screamed. He flung the ball out of the cluster of players, to the pink princess. Chigiri had a straight run all the way down the field, and within seconds was speeding down the flank.

Everyone instantly took off. Y/N ran towards Chigiri to block off his shot course, while everyone ran towards the nearest goalpost to try to get a pass and score.

Behind him, Y/N was aware of Isagi, running diagonally so he'd be in front of everyone else, but he didn't bother to try to defend. Instead, he stopped in front of Chigiri, forcing him to pass the ball.

When he looked back, Rin was standing behind Isagi, predicting the shorter boy's plan. Y/N internally facepalmed. Maybe I overestimated Isagi. They were bunched up in front of the goal, Isagi with his back to it and Rin blocking off any shot he could take.

The entire field seemed to freeze as the ball bounced just behind Isagi's legs. Y/N sighed, ready to turn away and let Rin score the last goal after stealing Isagi's shot away.

But Isagi scored.

With a stunning no look shot right into the top corner of the net, he'd scored. Pressured on all sides by teammates and enemies alike, one of the best players in Bluelock literally breathing down his neck, in a split second, he'd used the back of his heel to slam the ball into the goal.

Y/N's eyes widened with genuine amazement, before he chided himself. I'm not supposed to be impressed. These guys aren't even good. But imagine how good they could be...

He whistled appreciatively to himself. "It's going to be so fun to destroy him."

Meanwhile, Isagi was being swarmed by his teammates. Chigiri leapt onto his back, a huge smile on his face. "You did it! Holy shit, we caught up!"

Nagi slapped hands with Isagi, panting hard. "You beat Rin by yourself. We're winning this."

They all seemed way too happy, when the game was still 4-4. Barou even seemed slightly less aggressive - shocker, Y/N knew - and was regarding Isagi with something along the lines of respect. "Did you calculate all that yourself?"

"Yeah..." Isagi said between hard breaths. His face was shining with sweat, as was everyone else. "I just wanted to score. And I knew Rin would read most of the conventional tactics, so I had to go a step further than he did to beat him."

"So, you outplayed him?"

"Yes, but it was a play that would've only worked on him. It's a play that works because I knew he would read it. If it was any other player, it would've failed miserably."

Barou hummed lowly. "But if you missed the shot, they would've counterattacked and we would've lost. You gambled all our soccer careers on that."

Isagi winced slightly, but Chigiri just laughed. "Only people on the same level as Rin could think of such crazy ideas."

"Still, now we're level with them in all aspects." Nagi spoke up. "It's a level scoreline, level teams, and level vision."

"Yeah." Isagi clenched his fists. "But this final play will decide it. We crush them here, and we show them we're the better team."

They began walking back to their own half.

Y/N had scooped the ball out of the back of the goal, and was headed back to the centre of the field. Rin's eyes were practically glowing with determination, and Bachira was trembling with excitement.

Y/N had realised something. During the time in this game, Bachira's playstyle had evolved. He'd gone from always passing to Rin to actually working in some plays himself. Then again, everyone on the field had been forced to change.

Except for Aryu. That boy didn't give one about anything, it seemed.

"Laugh, cry, or be glam... whoever scores next wins." The solemn, serene words coming from Aryu had Y/N's head hurting as he tried to decipher what the fuck he was saying.

"All of you..." Rin's voice dropped, and he began speaking so quietly and lowly Y/N could barely hear him. "Put everything you have into this next move. I'm starting."

Y/N just shrugged. "Nope, I'm good!"

The other three players looked at him incredulously. "What? You're just going to lose?"

"I never said that." Y/N smiled sweetly, placing the ball down in the middle of the field. Team White was beginning to form up on the other side of the pitch, and Team Red was ready to attack. "We're winning this game."

"How are you so confident?" Bachira questioned. "They got the upper hand a bunch of times."

"They got the upper hand because I let them." Y/N laughed. "You don't get it."

Everyone grew silent as he spoke, loud enough for everyone playing to hear. "You all don't get it. Your plays are good, your thinking is good, your egos are good. But they're not the best."

"They're pretty good if we brought you to a 4-4." Barou answered sharply. "Don't get ahead of yourself, kid. You're good, but definitely beatable."

Y/N just grinned wider. His voice took on a gentle, yet dangerous tone. "Wanna bet?"

He looked back at his team. "Get back."

"What?" Aryu quietly responded. "I do not understand your request."

"Go touch the goalposts." Y/N replied. "All three of you. I don't want you to take a hand off them, the entire play."

"Y/N?" Bachira breathed. "You're gonna cost us the game."

"Just do it. If you trust in me." Only Bachira moved after Y/N had said that. He walked back to the goalpost, slapping his hand onto it and holding it there as he looked back with nervous, but excited eyes.

Aryu and Rin stayed where they were.

"You know, when we win, you won't be chosen." Barou spat. "Rin's played so much better than you in this game. And I'd take him over you any time."

"Damn." Y/N didn't care at all. "Well, there goes your chances of being chosen."

He placed a foot on the ball, looking around the pitch. There were varying expressions. Aryu and Rin were tense, watching him intently. Isagi was slightly nervous, shifting in place. Chigiri and Nagi's eyes were both widened with anticipation. Barou looked sceptical. "Are we ready to go?"

When there was no response, he kicked off.

He didn't pass. Y/N just ran straight forwards.

Barou was the first to challenge him. Y/N allowed him to build up his full charge, to get all the momentum he needed as he literally backpedalled to allow Barou to get maximum speed.

Barou's press and charge was one of his strongest attributes, as well as his insane physique. While moving backwards, Y/N stopped suddenly, all his momentum disappearing into the ether as he came to a halt in a few steps.

Then he surged forwards, dipping around Barou's charge with a smooth, fluid movement. Barou couldn't even react as Y/N slipped the ball down one side of him, ducking around his other side and letting Barou pass him completely.

"That's your strongest technique, right? That's the thing you beat everyone else at?" Y/N chuckled as he flicked the ball high into the air, catching with the top of his boot in front of the rest of Team White. "Pathetic."

Next at him came Nagi. There was still maybe three seconds before Barou could come back round and challenge him again, and in that time, Y/N laughed again. "Your strongest technique is your first touch..."

He flung the ball high into the air, going for it. Nagi should've got there first. It was practically gifted to him, but before he could snag the ball, Y/N was in front of him, spinning around. He used the back of his shoulder to nudge the ball over Nagi's body, spinning a full circle to get around the white haired boy.

Isagi and Chigiri came at him in a pair. Y/N was in his element, knocking the ball right to the side of the field as both of them followed him. It was still two against one. "Your best weapons are your eyes and your speed. Notice anything yet, Isagi?"

Y/N ran forwards, forcing them to run with him. He didn't go fast at all yet, and despite the fact both of them were on either side trying to steal the ball, he effortlessly kept it from their grasp. "You can't read me, can you? Your precious little eyes... useless."

He took off running, forcing Chigiri to speed up after him. Isagi couldn't keep up, as hard as he tried. Y/N's acceleration soon left Chigiri in the dust, and his top speed was enough to give him a completely free goal.

Team White was still trying to stop him. Y/N had to credit their determination. All of them were twenty metres away, none of them anywhere near. He'd outrun them all.

Y/N bowed his head. "It's just a shame you guys went up against me."

His mouth tightened, the smile falling away for a second as he thought of something. He'd planted his foot on the ball, a few metres away from the goal with his back to Bluelock Man. The goalie wasn't moving, prepped on the line to receive the shot.

Y/N sighed. He used the back of his heel, swinging it high in front of him.

Like an executioner's axe, he brought it down hard and fast. His heel connected with the ball, sending it into the goal and killing any chance of Team White winning.

For a second, he was emotionless. The victory didn't please him at all. Why should it? It was against a bunch of nobodies.

Y/N was remembering things. He stood there, staring at the ground, completely uncaring that he'd just won. His mouth moved, just a bit. He didn't know why it was now, when he was standing victorious in Bluelock's second selection, that he was reminded of his creator.

Room for improvement...

If I pushed anymore, you'd break in two...

The most successful experiment yet.

Y/N laughed dryly.

"I'm a godling, after all."